Restaurants in Yellowstone National Park
Given the park’s size and the distances between its developed hubs and the gateway towns, you’re something of a captive audience when it comes to dining at Yellowstone: You’ll likely find yourself lining up for a seat at the concessionaire-run restaurants at least a few times (it’s that or stick only to your camp stove). Generally, prices are high and the food ranges from adequate to pretty good—these outfits serve millions of people a year, and it shows. Still, the higher-end restaurants can offer up a memorable experience, and many menus prioritize local, sustainable, and/or organic ingredients.
Mammoth Hot Springs
You have three options for grub near the Mammoth terraces—deli sandwiches and ice cream at the general store, quick cafeteria food at Terrace Grill, and sit-down meals at the Mammoth Hotel Dining Room.
Canyon Village Area
Canyon notched up its dining options in 2017, replacing a standard deli and cafeteria with a funky 1960s, astro-themed complex. Two quick-bite options at Canyon Lodge Eatery stand out as the park’s best: Slow Food Fast ★ offers up comfort food like ribs and country-fried steak, while Fresh Woks ★ features design-your-own noodle or rice bowls with veggies and flavorful sauces. There’s also Falls Café, with sustainable wine and beer plus flatbreads, and The Ice Creamery, which scoops Montana-made flavors.
Yellowstone Lake
Here, it’s best to pick either low or high ends of the dining spectrum: The mid-price meals at Lake Lodge Cafeteria are decent at best, so you’re better off upgrading to the Lake Hotel’s dining room for anything more than deli grub. On the casual side, you can get basic sandwiches, salads, and soups at the general stores (one near Lake Lodge and one at Fishing Bridge) or Lake Yellowstone Hotel Deli.
Grant Village
Like many of the park’s developed areas, Grant Village features a few casual establishments and one higher-end dining room. But one of Grant’s quick-service restaurants comes with a truly killer view and fantastic wildlife-watching. At Lake House Restaurant, dine on brats, pot roast, and lemon pepper trout with a vista that’s as lakefront as you can get—the building extends over the water on a pier. Early risers will find the best sunrise breakfast around, and wildlife fans may spot pelicans and grizzly bears on the adjacent sandbars, especially in spring. Grant General Store offers fast-food burgers and sandwiches.
Old Faithful Area
The bustling Old Faithful zone boasts more dining options than anywhere else in the park, including two upscale dining rooms and an array of casual joints. Grab sandwiches and local Montana ice cream at the Inn’s Bear Paw Deli; for a hot lunch or dinner, the Snow Lodge’s Geyser Grill slings burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. The Old Faithful Lodge Cafeteria offers quick-service entrees: Think teriyaki bowls, pulled pork sandwiches, and roast turkey. You’ll also find sandwiches and salads at the adjacent Bake Shop, plus soft-serve ice cream. The general store and Old Faithful Basin Store serve pizzas, chili, burgers, and other quick choices.
- American
Annie's Soda Saloon
This new-in-2016 establishment manages to feel both old-fashioned and cutting-edge at the same time. Barnwood-style paneling and a tin ceiling put you in the mood for Annie’s signature treats, ice cream sodas like the ones you used to get at the five and dime—and what a treat they…$Cody - Barbecue
Beartooth Barbecue
They actually do make some pretty good barbecue this far north. This kid-friendly eatery has more-than-respectable ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, and tangy housemade barbecue sauce. The bar serves local microbrew and house wine, but no liquor.$$Near The Park - Spanish
Café Madriz
Top-notch tapas in little West Yellowstone? Sí! Thank chef/owner Elena de Diego, originally from Spain, for the infusion of cultural diversity. Diners share traditional small plates, such as Spanish cheeses, patatas con salsa, cured meats, and tortillas Española, in a warm and…$$West Yellowstone - Steak/Seafood
Canyon Lodge Dining Room
More contemporary-looking than the park norm, Canyon's resident sit-down option is known for burgers, Prime rib, and other carnivore’s favorites (though it does have some fish and pasta options, as well). It doesn’t have the atmosphere of, say, the Lake Yellowstone Hotel’s dining…$Canyon Village Area - Western
Cassie’s Supper Club
A brothel turned upscale restaurant and bustling country-and-western dance club, Cassie’s has a refined dining room and a considerably more casual bar. Fare tends to be carnivorous, with an emphasis on bone-in steaks (though there’s also fresh seafood). Featuring some interesting…$$$Near The Park - BBQ / Steak
Cowboy's Grill
Sometimes in a place like Gardiner, a big ol’ plate of BBQ feels just right—and this is the best place in town to satisfy that craving. The lengthy menu is chock-full of burgers (including bison and elk varieties, naturally), pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken, steaks, and baskets of…$$Gardiner - American
Euro Café
Early risers and the sleep-in crowd alike love this breakfast-and-lunch bistro, where you can tuck into specials such as egg sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, brioche French toast, and breakfast pizza (that’s a delightful mixture of eggs, cheese, and gravy over a pizza crust, if you’re…$West Yellowstone - American
Grant Village Dining Room
Like the nearby Lake House Restaurant, Grant’s dining room offers a lovely lakefront view (if not quite the on-the-water feel). But the dishes are a step up: Look for prime rib au jus, sautéed trout, smoked duck salad, and several pastas, many of which are sustainably sourced. Lunch…$$Grant Village - Continental
Lake Yellowstone Hotel
For the most romantic setting and the best cuisine in Yellowstone, plan ahead—way, way ahead: Many visitors make reservations a year in advance. An upscale atmosphere is matched by the menu of continental fare with regional flair, such as locally raised lamb, Montana trout, and bison…$$$Yellowstone Lake Area - American
Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room
This upscale restaurant in the park’s fanciest hotel delivers the most refined dining experience at Yellowstone. Though the food is quite good—think elk chops, trout, and roasted pheasant, prepared with an eye toward sustainable and organic ingredients—it’s only half the appeal.…$$Yellowstone Lake - American
M66 Grill
Canyon’s only sit-down restaurant gets its name from the National Park Service’s Mission 66 program, which aimed to expand visitor services by the NPS’s 50th anniversary in 1966—and true to concept, you’ll dine beneath mod, star-shaped light fixtures and swingin’ geometric art. The…$Canyon Village - Steak/Seafood
Madison Crossing Lounge
By all accounts the best place in town, Madison Crossing makes for a classy night out: attentive service and excellent food in a warmly lit, Montana-chic setting. The 1918 building was the first school in town, and indeed, you’ll dine where first graders of yore once practiced their…$$West Yellowstone - Steaks / Seafood
Mammoth Hotel Dining Room
For a meal that pairs an Art Deco–inspired space with relatively casual food, head over to Mammoth’s flagship restaurant. The chefs emphasize sustainable options with a distinctively Montana flavor, such as bison sirloin and pistachio-parmesan trout. There’s a typical array of…$$Mammoth Hot Springs Area - Steak / Seafood
Old Faithful Inn Dining Room
Along with the Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room, this is one of the quintessential dining experiences in the park. Just like the rest of the storied inn, the atmosphere can’t be beat: Giant log beams, chandeliers, and a huge stone fireplace dominate the room. The nightly dinner…$$Old Faithful Area - Seafood / Wild Game
Old Faithful Snow Lodge Obsidian Dining Room
Wild boar, bison, and elk, oh my! Wild game plays a starring role on this menu, in dishes such as bison short ribs, a game sausage sampler, and wild game Bolognese pasta. More traditional fare—salmon, trout, roast chicken—rounds out the choices, and there are typically a few tasty…$$Old Faithful Area - Steaks
Proud Cut Saloon
Steaks are the center of the universe at the Proud Cut, and they do a great job with everything from tenderloins to flat iron steaks to Prime rib. There is also some seafood, plus burgers and a thoroughly Wyoming vibe. Expect a wait in the summer if you don't have a reservation.$$Near The Park - BBQ
Roosevelt Lodge Dining Room
The park’s most rustic lodge pairs its rough-log decor with a cowboy menu: burgers, steak, fried chicken, and applewood-smoked ribs (this is not the place for inspired vegetarian dishes). It’s fairly standard fare, but portions are hearty and there are a few surprises (such as bison…$$Tower-Roosevelt Area - American/Mexican
The Buffalo Bar
]Like your watering holes lively, friendly, and adorned with as many stuffed bison as possible? Head to this local favorite, a sports bar that also hosts live poker and musical acts. The menu favors its namesake creature—you’ll find bison meatballs, tacos, burritos, ribeye, and a…$$West Yellowstone - Continental
The Chico Dining Room
The motto at this remote resort 34 miles north of Gardiner is “Welcome home,” and they mean it: You won’t find better service or a homier atmosphere for miles around. And the food is stellar, from rich starters like bison short rib ravioli and escargot-stuffed mushrooms to entrees…$$Near The Park - American / Steaks
The Raven Grill
This is the fanciest place in town, but you won’t find dinner jackets or fine china—casual dress is just fine. The menu features hearty plates of Jamaican jerk chicken, trout, steak, elk lasagna, and creamy pastas, many served with rice or potatoes, bread, and veggies. Prices are a…$$Gardner - Breakfast/Mexican
Yellowstone Grill
Locals love to start their day in this cheery space, where the coffee flows freely and your most important meal of the day could be an egg scramble, breakfast tacos, or a tower of blueberry pancakes—oh, and don’t neglect the famous cinnamon rolls. Lunch entrees such as burritos,…$Gardiner
